Why Freebies at Trade Shows Mean Business

Four attendees at a trade show immersed in a conversation.

Got an upcoming trade show to prepare for? You want to look your best, or more specifically, you want your brand to look its best!

Tradeshows and industry exhibitions offer business professionals a unique opportunity to demo new products, boost brand awareness, and connect with new customers. It’s also a great way to size up the competition. 

So, whether this is your 1st—or 10th—tradeshow event, you’ll want to be prepared and be remembered. Offering free giveaways can do just that! 

Why Is Free Merch a “Must-Have” at Trade Events?

Glad you asked! When you first think about your vendor booth setup, you’re probably focusing on having branded banners, flyers, business cards, and maybe a few LED monitors to display how your products work or to see your team in action.

Of course, these are all essential items to include at your booth. But just displaying your name and tagline doesn’t guarantee you’ll draw people in. They need more incentive to choose you among all the other vendors competing for their attention. 

When it comes to free merch, it’s hard for customers to resist! But here’s where it can benefit your brand, as well.

  • Adds Value: In addition to those fancy display banners that promote your services, free branded merch creates eye-catching aesthetics that help bring together the overall look of your booth. This is especially true if you invest in quality merchandise that appeals to the likes of your audience and complements your brand’s image.
  • Creates Connections: Branded merch is all about putting your brand’s image into the hands of new customers. When people see you displaying free items, they’re more inclined to walk over to your booth and explore them. This provides you with an opportunity to get to know them personally and create a positive experience that they’ll remember each time they use their free gifts.
  • Increases Brand Exposure: After everyone goes home, branded merch ensures you don’t become a distant memory. Instead, you stay top of mind as customers continue to use the freebies they picked up from your booth. 

Remember, people may not remember everyone they spoke to at an event, but they will remember the free branded sunglasses or water bottle they received from your booth.

Need another reason? How about this: free merch not only allows customers to remember you, but it will also provide you with free advertising as they use these items throughout their daily routines.

How to Make Your Vendor Booth Stand Out

Now that we know free branded merchandise is a “must” for trade show events, the next step is choosing the right branded merchandise agency to help you select the best products to draw more customers in!

At Foxtrot Marketing Group, we can help streamline your trade show needs with custom merchandising solutions and drop-ship delivery! 

How It Works

Whether your trade show event is in six month, or in less than six weeks, you can contact us with all the event details by filling out our online form or by calling us directly at 800.229.3850.

A member of our team will connect with you to discuss branded merch options that will complement your booth and appeal to your target audience. 

Need Vendor Table Ideas?

No worries! We have you covered. Our team is experienced in brainstorming popular trade show items that promote brand awareness and consistency. We also offer apparel options from popular retailers around the world, which will definitely make your booth hard to pass up! 

And when it comes to quick turnarounds, competitive pricing, and reliable delivery, we have those parts covered, too!

We understand that things can change at a moment’s notice, which is why you’ll be able to work with a single point of contact to ensure your items are on brand and on route to your next event.

Our drop-ship delivery services ensure you don’t need to worry about when (or if) your merch will arrive. You also won’t need to deal with the hassle of transporting it. You have enough to keep you busy. Leave it to us to personally deliver your items right to the event’s location.

Check out our Guide to Total Show Packages to discover how we can customize your booth (or table) with your brand’s logo to help set the stage for live demos and display your free branded merch.

Let’s recap with the following trade show checklist

  • Contact Foxtrot Marketing Group
  • Provide details of the event (date/time, location, etc.)
  • Work with an experienced rep to select your branded merch
  • Confirm order details
  • Receive order updates/notifications
  • Have your items drop-shipped to location
  • Set up your vendor booth
  • Start connecting with customers

Ready to get started? 

If your event is approaching soon, be sure to connect with our team to help you plan the details and get the quality merch you need—and your customers want!